Tunis cake

Method

• step 1

  Heat the oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3 and line the base of a deep 20cm cake tin with baking parchment or a reusable baking liner, then butter the sides of the tin. Beat the butter with the sugar using an electric whisk until the mixture is light and creamy, then beat in the eggs, one at a time.

• step 2

  Add the orange zest and vanilla, then beat in the flour and almonds until you have a thick batter. It should be loose enough that it falls off a wooden spoon; if it’s too thick, mix in a splash of orange juice.

• step 3

  Tip the batter into the tin and smooth the surface using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Bake for 55 mins-1 hr until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely in the tin.

• step 4

  For the topping, warm the chocolate and cream together in a small pan over a low heat until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Pour this over the cake – it should level out and fill in any dips around the sides, but you can ease it around using a palette knife, if needed. Leave to cool and set.

• step 5

  Remove the cake from the tin. For the icing, mix the butter and icing sugar together into a firm but pipeable icing. Divide between two bowls, and colour one pink and the other yellow with a few drops each of the food colouring. Transfer the icing to piping bags fitted with a star nozzle and pipe rosettes or other decorations onto the cake (see tip). Decorate with marzipan fruit, if you like. Will keep in an airtight container for up to three days.